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IBE Raises $40,000 for Local Charities

Contact: Jeff Murphy
WARRENSBURG, MO (Dec. 21, 2007) – Preliminary figures show that the Integrative Business Experience program at UCM raised a record $39,944 for local charities during the fall 2007 semester.

Money raised came from students who formed three companies as part of a learning experience in the Harmon College of Business and Administration. During the semester, students created their own enterprises. Each company developed a product, business plan, and secured a loan to provide working capital. After paying off the loan, profits were donated to the local non-profit organization of their choice.

According to Mary McCord, associate professor of computer information systems and IBE practicum instructor, "The students sold products right up to Friday, Dec. 14, and are still hoping to increase their numbers." McCord added that since the inception of IBE at UCM, student groups have raised a total of $84,769 for non-profit organizations, and have dedicated 3,491 hours to community service.

"IBE enables students to get the most out of their educational experience. They learn about business, about themselves and about giving back to the community--all at the same time," said Larry Michaelsen, professor of management who initiated IBE at UCM.

Setting an all-time record for fundraising by an IBE student group, $12,139, Chairs that Care marketed a folding chair with university marks. The company donated 438 service hours to the Warrensburg School District and to Survival Adult Abuse Center. They aided the school district by cleaning outdoors and doing some painting around a playground. For Survival, they hosted fundraising events such as "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes," assisted with Survival’s art fair, and company president Collin Bunch participated in a campout vigil on the UCM campus, going without food for nearly two days to raise money for the local abuse shelter. Chairs that Care’s $25,980 donation to Survival consisted of $12,965 from their companybusiness activities and a $12,965 matching contribution from an anonymous donor.

Mo’ Undercover, which marketed umbrellas with university marks, donated more than 222 hours to public service and raised $5,443 for charity. Funds benefit the Warrensburg Animal Shelter and Warrensburg Middle School. The group provided six plastic benches made from recycled materials for the school's outdoor classroom, and donated materials for a compost pile, in addition to hours of preparation work. They contributed funds to the animal shelter to help purchase an outdoor barn to be used by the veterinarian, and donated their time walking dogs and volunteering at the shelter.

Central Time, a company which created a poster with historical photographs of UCM, chose Habitat for Humanity as its charity, and raised $7,672. They also racked up 367.5 hours of community service, which benefited Habitat, as well as the Missouri Veterans Home. Students helped at the Habitat warehouse, painting, taking inventory, organizing, and improving the roof, and did other types of volunteer work at the Veterans Home. In addition to selling posters, they raised money for Habitat by working at a Worlds of Fun haunted house, sponsoring a car wash, sponsoring a drawing, and collecting money near Wal-Mart in Warrensburg.

For more information about the IBE experience at UCM, contact Mary McCord at 660-422-2857 or Larry Michaelsen at 660-543-4124.